


Prologue: Angel Over Your Shoulder

by Eternal_Enigma



Series: Invisible Hope [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angels, Curses, Demon Summoning, Developing Friendships, F/M, Family, Orphans, Saving People Hunting Things, Sisters, Teenagers, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-22
Updated: 2018-09-22
Packaged: 2019-07-15 12:12:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16062884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eternal_Enigma/pseuds/Eternal_Enigma
Summary: Here's the beginning to my first fanfiction here (hurray~)I mainly wanted to type out my ideas that are in my head regarding a character of mine that carries her share of burdens and how she interacts in the Supernatural verse alongside theWinchesters as well as her own life.If readers take interest, I will try to post more often, else I'll be doing this as my own personal stress-relief during college. It may jump around the seasons because of the perspective of the original character herself, considering she isn't always with the boys.





	Prologue: Angel Over Your Shoulder

 

* * *

 

 

The quiet little town of Breckenridge was residence to a small population roughly around 4,000--quite ideal for individuals who did not want to draw attention near them. Still, there wasn’t a shortage of tourists who would come to take a look at the beautiful scenery nature provided and the ski resorts built upon it. Alpine scattered among the hillsides blanketed in snow, the cold, dry air breezing through valleys. Cars whirled by on the road, ski gear tied down onto their roofs, fully capacitated cars filled with chattering individuals of all ages, their enthusiasm parallel to the frosty atmosphere.

 

Among those cars was a young woman listening to her tunes in a desolate vehicle, following behind rows of cars. With each pause she’d glance at the folders set in the front passenger sheet, compiled of photographs she had collected, maps with red circles drawn in certain location, and newspaper clippings in regards to missing persons within the area. There were debates on whether or not to close down the ski resort due to frequency of such tragic events happening much more often, especially during the winter time. Over the course of ten years, eight people have gone missing, often in pairs of two or more.

 

At the Alpine ski resort lodge, the woman parked her car and entered the building, an illusion made to have people think it was composed out of logs. “One single.”

 

She told the receptionist, a middle-aged man wearing a polo shirt with the logo patched onto it and  tan slacks. With a friendly service smile, he turned his back to find the designated keys and placed them on the table. She paid with a card, the name “Patricia Smith” engraved onto it. “Can I see an I.D.?” The man asked. The girl looked him in the eye for a moment, a  blue gaze that tried to disguise itself as confidence yet a bit of hesitation lurked. She bit her lip softly, aware or not, and took out her I.D. The man held it for a brief moment and returned it.

 

“Enjoy your stay Ms. Smith!” He exclaimed. “I’d also like to inform you that we don’t recommend going out past sunset.”

 

She gave a slight nod. “I understand. Thank you for the warning.”

 

When out of range of the receptionist, she gave a sigh of relief. Someday she would get used to it. Having been passing by Colorado and spotting this mysterious case, she couldn’t help but be drawn by it. This wasn’t just an ordinary missing persons case based on what she knew. The timing seemed just about right for a fearsome creature she’s only read about in books and articles--The Wendigo.

 

After having been able to take care of several vampire’s nests, it was a bit of a confidence booster for the young hunter. While she did have assistance, she was able to behead five vampires on her own, surprising them with her sudden appearance after an advance search during their hunting hours. As for the Wendigos, she wanted to at least scout this place before diving in. She wouldn’t really know what to expect from such intelligence creatures, however.

Besides mimicking the voices of humans, Wendigos were agile and had senses and strength that rivaled many other monsters including the vampires and werewolves she had already encountered. Leaving them to exist in an area visited by many people was unacceptable. Her mind toppled back and forth in regards to her actions. Should she call another hunter with more experience to come down here? If she did, Jody would definitely hear about this...she was supposed to be on a hiking trip to the Wind Caves National Park where her and her “college buddies” were supposedly camping out for the semester break.

 

Checking her voice mails, it was mainly messages from Jody who she didn’t answer. She figured that at the national park, there would be a weak signal, thus it was a valid excuse. She didn’t like to lie to the one who took her in, but if she didn’t try to steer in her own direction, she might not ever be able to defend herself as well as others.

 

“Hi Claire. I’m just checking in with you. How’s the hiking trip? I hope you’re having fun and I look forward to hearing all about it. I’ll let you go back to your buddies now. Bye!”

 

Firstly, she needed to get some rest. It had been a long nine hour drive, gas station food, and naps in the middle of stormy weather. Claire took a hot shower, perfect after the lengthy trip, and laid in bed for a while, wondering what the next day would unravel, only to be awoken in the middle of the night by thin walls. The thin walls of the lodge, with the noisy chatter of young adults joking around, possibly drunk out of their minds far out in this tourist attraction were muffled, but coherent enough to be obnoxious. Could she file a noise complaint? It was an hour past midnight. Another girl beat her to it.

 

“Oh, dude get the door.”

 

“Excuse me, could you guys keep it down? People are starting to wrap up for the night.”

 

“Did anyone tell you how pretty you are? I’m Kevin. What’s your name, beautiful?”

Claire can imagine the girl was making the same expression of disgust as she was by just hearing it, only more subtle in their presence--not like those drunks would notice.

 

“Plenty. Now I’d like to have my peace. Goodbye”

 

“That’s not very nice you know. I told you my name but you’re just gonna walk away?”

 

“I didn’t ask for a conversation, I was complaining.”

 

It sounded like he was giving her a difficult time. Should she interfere or try to get some sleep. Any moment now it could get rough and the manager could take care of it, but by then, the girl’s night would be ruined and it would leave a sour taste in her own mouth. She was just about ready to open her door when she heard a loud bang as if something was sent across the room and hit the standard furnished dressers. It became quiet. Claire took a peek and saw the girl walk down the hallway to her room on the other side of the noisy drunks.  

 

“I guess she didn’t need any help.” She mumbled to herself, before returning back to her room.

 

Exploring the alpines and caves at night time was downright stupid, thus when the morning arrived, Claire conducted her investigation. She kept a couple of matches, as well as several lighters she had collected on her way here. Wendigos were weak against fire, but invulnerable to knives and guns. This was mildly convenient on her end, as she wouldn’t have to explain why she was carrying weapons around at a ski resort.

 

Wendigos rarely hunted in the day, but she still had to be wary. Maybe she should have purchased some ski gear, considering the price of rentals. Although she didn’t really know how to ski, it would be much faster to move through the snow. She was also shivering a bit, the gloves on her hands only providing minimal warmth. The winds were like blades on her reddening cheeks she tried to cover with her jacket. It was still early in the morning, and so she retreated back to the lodge until the afternoon, enjoying the complimentary breakfast as the sun rose over the peaks.

 

It was much warmer now, but there were lots of people out. Claire decided to get the rentals and fumbled across the snow, attempting to keep her balance before falling onto the ground. “Are you alright?” It was the girl from last night. Having only seen her from afar, Claire didn’t realize how serene her hazel eyes appeared--unlike the feisty action she took last night. Did she have a twin? Her dark locks of hair were kept under a ski helmet combined with green visors.

 

She reached a hand out to Claire. “Thanks.” Her lips curled into a shy smile.

 

“You must be new too. I haven’t skied before either but I thought I’d take a shot at it.” She seemed to want to ease the silence.

 

“Yeah...it looks more challenging than I thought.”

“Mind if I ask you your name?”

 

“C-Carissa” Claire said.

 

“Oh cool, that rhymes with my sister’s name” She laughed. “My name is Natalie. Nice to meet you.”

 

Over the course of the day Claire found out that Natalie was a lot like herself. She had come here alone. She was attending a college in Colorado for arts and design, and the projects were becoming stressful, which often led to Natalie skipping out on her courses. She worked a part time job at the coffee shop on campus. The endless stream of zombie students was enough to create a zombie out of herself. Going to the ski resort was a way to blow of steam and be “one with nature” as Natalie put it.

 

Often she’d venture the woods, nearby parks, and trails, but considering the snowy weather and how often college students would hype up for ski season, she considered giving it a try. The freshman had never gone skiing before and she’d consider the adventure to be a step towards her own independence.

 

The two of them took a trip to Highway 9 for the entry-level terrain, getting themselves accustomed to gliding over the powder snow. Claire even tried out a spin, in which she almost lost her balance. The success landed an applause from outside viewers and Natalie, who was starting to get the hang of zig zagging around obstacles. Before Claire knew it, evening struck. She had completely forgotten about her investigation, reminded by the sun setting. Natalie and her did try to navigate throughout the alpines and hiked through the trails. While there were several caves around, Natalie had suggested they not go near them due to the chances of a caved in avalanche.

 

“A lot of skiers have been trapped in the snow and frozen to death from sudden avalanches.” She explained. “Some of the bodies haven’t been found.”

 

“I see…”

 

“Should we start heading back? I remember the man at the desk warned us not to be out for too long after dark.”

 

“You can go on ahead. I think I’m going to wander a little bit more.”

 

“You sure? I could stick around.”

 

It was difficult to say no to those concerned eyes, but Claire wouldn’t forgive herself if they happened to run into a Wendigo, and this girl she just met was taken in the blink of an eye. “No, it’s fine really. Thanks for today, it was fun.”

 

Natalie shrugged. “Okay, well stay safe, Carissa! It was fun for me too.” She skied off into the distance, towards the tall pillar of light, guiding other skiers back to the lodge cabins. Claire wanted to check out the caves quickly before it got too dark. There was one in particular that gave off an unsettling vibe.

 

The mouth of the cave seemed larger and a curious wanderer would easily fall trap to it. Claire herself could have been walking into a trap, but she had her weapons ready if needed. How big of a fire did she actually need. A torch would suffice for now, but her mini flame torch made from aerosol spray would be essential if she actually ran into one. Perhaps even the canister of gasoline as well.

 

Claire edged closer to the cave’s mouth, first using a flashlight to take a look into the dark depths. This was no mediocre cave, blades of ice protruding from the top, dripping bits of water onto an icy floor. She took a deep breath before stepping in. The crunch of the snow under her feet ceased as she got further into the cave, where the snow would not reach. It was even deeper than she thought, containing several pathways that may or may not be connected. With a path diverged into two, she wondered which one to take or if she should stop for now. It was getting darker with each minute and she wanted to be out before the sun was no longer visible. Suddenly, a scream. Was that a person...or a mimicry.

 

“Please help us” Please oh God no!” The cries of woman had Claire shaken. If this happened to be someone--but wait the Wendigos mainly feasted during the day and hunted at night. When exactly did they leave the cave?

 

“We’re trapped! Somebody help us!” Another voice ringed, a man, and his voice had cracked. Was he injured?

 

Claire fired up her torch and kept the aerosol on her belt, carefully taking the path the voice came from. It did not sound like they were too deep in. She was about to round a corner when she heard a gushing sound and the woman’s voice cried even louder. “NOOOO”

 

That’s when Claire saw a ten feet behemoth, liquid oozing out of its mouth, its eyes nearly hollow. This ooze...it was blood? The flesh...Claire’s vision was getting a bit hazy, but she had to snap out of it. The woman was still alive, hanging from strings.

 

“Hey ugly!” Claire yelled out, the torch waving back and forth in her hand. The fire went rapid, wildly thrashing back greedily as it consumed the oxygen around it. The rabid monster faltered, and backed off, letting off a low snarl. Claire shifted her feet, one after the other, nearing the woman who began to sob quietly in her spot, watching the movements of the torch. It seemed like the Wendigo was contemplating something. Would it risk the flames for its prey or come for another? Claire kept her eyes on it, shifting back and forth. From what she heard, this Wendigo was fairly docile in its approach, luckily for her. It eventually turned its tail and walked off into the darkness.

 

Claire burned off the ropes carefully, partially catching the drop of the frail woman. Her swollen eyes and parched lips revealed that she had been here for some time. She looked over to the heap of “organic matter” and gagged. “He...he’s” She cupped her face in her hands. “No…”

Claire placed her hand on the woman’s shoulder. “I’m sorry that he didn’t make it. If only I arrived sooner…” She guided the woman down the cave pathway, torch still in hand. That was fairly easy, but by now it had grown dark out. Still, the Wendigo was still out there. She would have to come finish it off another time and possibly stock up on more gasoline to create a massive fire. While in thought, a low rumbling began. The woman, who Claire had found out was named Ashley, fell to the ground. Soon, Claire was on the floor as the rumbles turned into large quakes as if large, heavy objects were falling--were they being caved in? What Natalie had warned about came true. The success was too good to be true. By the looks of the woman, she could faint at any moment, but Claire honestly didn’t know how to comfort her let alone comfort herself. How were they going to get out? Up ahead, the pathway was covered in massive rocks fallen from the top of the cave, but how did the Wendigo achieve such a thing on its own. Unless…

Several howls were heard from afar, followed by screams of terror.

 

“Help me! Somebody!”

 

“Save me!”

 

“I’m so scared!” A child wailed.

 

Claire tried to keep her composure. She ran deeper into the cave and looked for a hidden crevice where Ashley and her concealed themselves. The Wendigos have decided to challenge her psyche and she wouldn’t let them win. She had to think. Was there anyway out of here? The Wendigos needed a way out as much as they needed a way in for hunting. It wouldn’t be too long that they’d move the rocks. She should’ve just went on that hiking trip--no she couldn’t think that.

 

Who knows when she started to lose track of time. The phone battery died, the hours went by and soon it felt like days.Claire felt cold and she couldn’t tell how long Ashley would live. _If she dies, it would all be in vain._

 

“We’ll be okay, just hang in there Ashley…” She held Ashley’s cold hands. She mainly whimpered, trembling from both the cold and fear. There wasn’t really anything to help create a fireplace besides the matches. Claire had already used a pack to warm them up. WIth nothing to light on fire but the matches themselves, that was all they had to at least prevent frostbite. The only concern was food. Claire was starving and Ashley must’ve been more so.

 

A whistle was heard “Foood! Free foood! Delicious and scrumptious” A hallucination? No. The mimicry. Those damn Wendigos. After several minutes of Wendigos calling out, it went silent again. They must’ve went to sleep. Ashley appeared to be sound asleep too.

 

Claire did not know when she dozed off, but the moment she realized it, her head shot up. She felt something warm and soft. A blanket? Since when...was she dreaming? She felt the blanket and moved it around. It was an actual blanket. Where was Ashley? She was gone. The cave was gone.

 

“Thank goodness you’re awake!” Claire nearly punched Natalie’s face, but she moved back just in time. “Whoa!”

 

“Natalie?”

 

“To sum it up. There was a cave-in, you didn’t come back, I got help.” She folded her arms. “You didn’t listen.” Natalie reminded her of Jody for a moment.

 

“I guess I got carried away with my curiosity.”  Claire smirked. “Is Ashley alright?”

 

“She’s a bit malnourished, but she will be fine. She’s truly grateful for you saving her, even in her delirium.”

 

The delirium. A sweet girl like Natalie did not need to know the truth, and unfortunately Ashley would have to live with the image of a person being eaten in front of her eyes. That would take years of therapy to get used to--or the stubbornness of a hunter’s will. Claire wiggled her toes and awoken her legs, sliding off of the bed.

 

“Did you want to get some lunch? You’ve been out cold for a while so I think you’d be hungry.”

 

“That sounds great, actually. What day is it?”

 

“It’s Monday evening. You were in that cave for most of Sunday and were asleep for most of today.”

 

Claire sighed deeply. Jody must’ve tried to call her hundreds of times, considering she said she’d be back Sunday evening, just in time for those Monday classes she rarely attended. “Jody’s gonna kill me.”

 

“Better than by cave-in I assure you.” Natalie replied. “I’m going to let the officers know you’re okay. They’ll probably ask you some questions later.”

 

Oh boy, there was no escape. As friendly as Natalie was, it was as if she was prodding  her with a pitchfork. She told the receptionist her name was Patricia. Natalie knew her as Carissa. Ashley knew her as Claire. Caught in the moment, there was no time to think about such lies. It wasn’t something that she had mastered, especially in the presence of Jody, who already had an authoritative position to investigate cases unlike many hunters. The cops would ask her about this whole “identity” issue.

 

____

 

“Officer Kennington.” Natalie called, walking closer to the tall figure. She clasped her hands together. “Trisha is awake now. Again, I’d like to thank you for rescuing my cousin!”

 

“I’m glad to be of service.” The policeman smiled. “I will make the questions quick. Her mother sounded really worried and I’m sure she’d like Patricia to get back soon.”

 

Natalie nodded. “Sounds good.”

 

After rounding the corner, Natalie gave a sigh of relief. Officer Kennington bought the story. Natalie and “Pa(Trisha)” were cousins that were going to meet up at the ski resort in Colorado during their weekend. Unfortunately Natalie made a risky decision in allowing her cousin’s curiosity to get a hold of her and she went into the caves alone where it happened to collapse. Having gotten help, it appeared that another girl, Ashley, was also caught up in this cave. She had come to the ski resort with her boyfriend Dallen, who they were still searching for within those caves, clearing up the debris. Ashley denied that he was alive, however, which would mean the search would soon be over. This was necessary.

 

Natalie had also waited for Ashley to wake up from the trauma beforehand in order to talk to her about what happened. As Trisha’s cousin, she had to know. Although Ashley seemed dazed, Natalie was able to convince the lady to work with her. “Trisha”, not the name that she introduced herself in the cave, helped rescue her. The monsters she was kidnapped by and had killed her boyfriend would be dealt with. She just had to focus on resting, and making sure not to create a hassle for the girl who just rescued her.

 

Natalie pulled out her phone and tapped on a name within her contacts.

 

Now to take care of those four Wendigos…”

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Here's the beginning to my first fanfiction here (hurray~) 
> 
> I mainly wanted to type out my ideas that are in my head regarding a character of mine that carries her share of burdens and how she interacts in the Supernatural verse alongside the   
> Winchesters as well as her own life.
> 
> If readers take interest, I will try to post more often, else I'll be doing this as my own personal stress-relief during college. It may jump around the seasons because of the perspective of the original character herself, considering she isn't always with the boys.


End file.
